Improved propeller



UNITED .STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ESTEBAN DALMAU Y SALA, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVED PROPELLER.

To all whom 'it may concerns Be it known that I, ESTEBAN DALMAU Y SALA,of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new anduseful Improvement in Propellers; and 1 'do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and

exact description thereof, which will enable.

others skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, forming part of this speeication, inwhich- Figure l represents a side elevation of this invention, thevessel in which the propeller is put up being shown in section. Fig. 2is a sectional plan or top view of the same. Fig. 3 is a longitudinalvertical section of a portion of the reversinggear, the liner x, Fig. 2,indieating the plane of section.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts.

This invention relates to a propeller of that class commonly known asducks-footlpropellers, and generally constructed with two wings, whichopen as the propeller advances against the water, and which close whenthe propeller recedes.

The propeller which forms the subject-mat ter of this present inventionis placed under the stern of the vessel, between the rudder-post and thestern-post, at the same place which is usually occupied by thescrew-propeller, and it is composed of a frame to which a reciprocatingmotion is imparted in suitable guide-grooves, and which forms thebearings for thepin or pins which support thetwo wings. The slidingframe connects by a suitable rod with the cross-head of a steam-engine,which alsoimparts motion to the mechanism required for opening andclosing the wings of the propeller at the proper intervals. Thismechanism is so arranged that by a simple change ot a few parts thepropeller can be reversed without stopping or interrupting the motion ofthe engine.

A represents the stern of a vessel to which my propeller is applied.This propeller consists of a frame, B, made of metal or any othersuitable material, andarran ged so that it slides in suitableguidegrooves, a., (see Fig. 2,) and of twowings, O, which swing on a pinor pins, b, secured inthe frameB, and which are made of metal or anyother suitable material. The

frame B connects, by means of a rod, c, with the cross-head d, to whichareciprocating motion is imparted by a piston and steam-cylinder of anysuitable construction. The rod c extends through the dead-wood under thestern of the vessel, and suitable stufng-boxes of metal or any desirablematerial prevent the entrance of water into the vessel. Said rod isguided by suitable boxes, e, in the interior of the vessel, and, ifdesired, it may be made solid with the piston-rod. The cross-head disguided in stationary frames e, one on each side, and its ends extendthrough said frames and through carriages h, and form the bearings fordisks and cog-wheels g.

The carriages h connect by rods t with the two wings of the propeller,and each of said carriages receives a motionindependent of that of thecross-head by a cam, j. These cams are mounted loosely on the ends ofthe cross-head, and they are situated in suitable slots in thecarriages, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings. Theyreceive an oscillating motion by the action ot' stationary racks 7o,which are so situated th at they gear in the cog-wheels g and cause thesame to oscillate whenever a reciprocating motion is imparted to thecrosshead. The cog-wheels y rotate freely on the ends of the cross-head,and they are provided with hubs l, provided with slots or notches thatcatch over suitable projections or dogs, m, secured to the sides of thecams j. By this arrangement the motion of the cog-wheels is communicatedto the cams j, and by the action of these cams on the ends of thecarriages h on one and on slides a, inserted into said carriages on theopposite sides, a motion is imparted to said carriages in advance of thecross-head, and the wings of the propeller are opened and closed.

By changing the position of the slides a from one end of the carriagesto the other the motion of the 'propelleris reversed.

It must be remarked that the motion of the cams 7" may be produced in avariety of ways, and instead of the cog-wheels and racks suitable rodsmight be made to extend from eccen tric wrist-pins in the disks f tostationary links, so that by imparting to the cross-head with the disksa reciprocating motion an oscillating motion will be imparted to thedisks, and by changing the points of connection between slide back andforth b j from the pressure of the rods and stationary links the m-otionofthe disks might be reversed; or, instead of this, other devices mightbe used 5 and I do not wish to coniine myself in this respect to theprecise mechanism shown in the drawings, but reserve the right to changethe same as occasion may render desirable.

The rods t', which connect the carriages 7L with the wings U, extendthrough the deadn wood under the keel, parallel to the rod c, and

the connection between them and the wings is effected by'cross-heads o,the ends of which in guides p, secured to the inner surface of thewings.

To reduce the friction small friction rollers may be applied to the endsof the cross-heads o.

The rods t', in passing through the deadwood ofthe vessel, are guided bysuitable tubes and standing-boxes.

In order to relieve the carriages hand cams the water on the wings whenthe same move against the water, an additional cross-head, p', issecured on the rod c, and this cross-head is provided with two eyes,which form guides for the rods i. These rods are made in three sections,each of which is joined by couplings r r", placed at a suitable distanceon either side of the cross-head p.

Between the couplings r or r and the cross head p', a yoke, s, isplaced, which straddles the rods i-that is to say, if the propeller isi, arranged to move the vessel forward, the yoke is placed between thecross-head p or between the same and the couplings r, as shownrin thedrawings; and if the propeller is arranged for backing, the yoke isplacedon the opposite side of the cross-head. When the rod c isk movedin the direction of the arrow marked thereon in Fig. 2 the cross-headypushes the yoke s up against the shoulders formed by the couplings rbefore the wings open, and the carriages h are relieved from thepressure of the water agalnst the propeller. A In vessels of largedimensions, such as f'rigi ates, monitors, and iron-clads, the wings ofthe propeller can be made of wood, with brass hoops land borders as are-enforcement, covered with sheet-copperon their outer and with glasson their inner surface, fastened by screws or other suitable means, andunderlaid with a thin sheet of india-rubber or gutta-percha. The objectof theY glass face is to reduce the friction in the water and to preventincrustations.

If desired, the rod c may be made to extend through the rudder-postandthrough the sternpost, or it may be arranged as shown in Fig. l of thedrawings.

I do not claim as my invention the use of what is known as the fdueks-foot77 propeller for the propulsion of vessels 5 but What I claimas new, and desire to by Letters Patent, is

1. The carriages h and cams j, in combination with the frame B and wingsC of the propeller, and with the cross-head d, constructed and operatingsubstan tially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The cog-wheels g and racks 7c, in combination with the cams j,cross-head d, and with the propeller B C, constructed and operating substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. The yoke s, shoulders r r, and cross-head p', in combination with therods c t', carriages It, and propeller B O, constructed and operatingsubstantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The movable slides n, in combination with the carriages lL and withthe propeller B C, constructed and operating substantially as and forthe purpose described.

The above specification of my invention signed by me this 1st day ofSeptember, 1865.

ESTEBAN DALMAU Y SALA. Witnesses:

M. HEVANT, M. M. LIVINGsToN.

SeCllI'e

